Hello, all!
Last fall I saw something I thought was really fun;
flower petals, blossoms, and buds
placed strategically over some
black and white insect clip-art, as if they were the bodies and wings.
I had waited too long in the season, however, for there to be anything remotely
insect-shaped blooming in my garden, but I kept thinking about it...
Here is my take on it, with watercolor instead of black and white images.
~
~
I didn't have plans to post this when I started sketching (so no pics), but my first
step was to lightly sketch some insect shapes on heavyweight watercolor paper.
I went out and got a couple of the blossoms that I planned to use, to get the
approximate size... (I used Althea/Rose of Sharon blossoms and buds here).
I blocked in some color on the bugs, not really sure how I was going to proceed ~
(As in much of my life, "Flying by the seat of my pants")
At this point I actually planned to have a white background like my inspiration images,
or I would have waited on painting the insects ~ it's all good, though, it still worked!
~
I decided that a colored background would be better,
so I taped the watercolor paper to a board and wet the whole thing...
(I knew the paint on the insects was going to run, but I also knew I could fix it...
and that it would look like I had meant for it to be like that ~ ;) )
~
I painted some big, swishy areas of watercolor, and dropped in some
yummy Holbein Brilliant Gold gouache for added fun...
then sprinkled liberally with kosher salt ~
I put it out in the sun to dry, and to let the salt do its starburst-magic
(the salt absorbs some of the watercolor, leaving the texture).
~
I didn't have plans to post this when I started sketching (so no pics), but my first
step was to lightly sketch some insect shapes on heavyweight watercolor paper.
I went out and got a couple of the blossoms that I planned to use, to get the
approximate size... (I used Althea/Rose of Sharon blossoms and buds here).
I blocked in some color on the bugs, not really sure how I was going to proceed ~
(As in much of my life, "Flying by the seat of my pants")
At this point I actually planned to have a white background like my inspiration images,
or I would have waited on painting the insects ~ it's all good, though, it still worked!
~
I decided that a colored background would be better,
so I taped the watercolor paper to a board and wet the whole thing...
(I knew the paint on the insects was going to run, but I also knew I could fix it...
and that it would look like I had meant for it to be like that ~ ;) )
~
I painted some big, swishy areas of watercolor, and dropped in some
yummy Holbein Brilliant Gold gouache for added fun...
then sprinkled liberally with kosher salt ~
I put it out in the sun to dry, and to let the salt do its starburst-magic
(the salt absorbs some of the watercolor, leaving the texture).
~
~
When the paper was bone-dry (which didn't take all that long in the hot sun),
I used a fine brush and went back and finessed the bugs...
~
And here are the results!
Now I'm thinking about what other flower-buds would make good "insects"...
Moonflower buds, for sure...maybe a praying mantis for those...
And rosebuds, for cute little fantasy-bugs.
This is an instance where the photograph becomes the art, as the
subject matter here (the flowers and leaves, anyway) is ephemeral!
~
When the paper was bone-dry (which didn't take all that long in the hot sun),
I used a fine brush and went back and finessed the bugs...
~
And here are the results!
Now I'm thinking about what other flower-buds would make good "insects"...
Moonflower buds, for sure...maybe a praying mantis for those...
And rosebuds, for cute little fantasy-bugs.
This is an instance where the photograph becomes the art, as the
subject matter here (the flowers and leaves, anyway) is ephemeral!
~
~
~
~
Try it!
Have fun...if you don't want to draw the insects, use copyright-free clip-art...
either black and white, or tinted with markers, colored pencils, whatever you have.
Play!
I do, every day... :)
Love,
~
Try it!
Have fun...if you don't want to draw the insects, use copyright-free clip-art...
either black and white, or tinted with markers, colored pencils, whatever you have.
Play!
I do, every day... :)
Love,
~